From the President: Tell us what you think about the Charter
The President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Dr Gill Hawksworth, appeals to members to give the Society their views on the revised draft new Charter (PDF 100K) published last week
(centre pull-out, PJ, 18 October)
The Council’s new revised draft Charter is now published. Over
recent months, we have been listening to your comments on the earlier
draft and we have made changes to it that we believe address your main
concerns. However, there is still an opportunity for you to tell us if
you believe that the revised draft is not fit for purpose.
The Charter links our past to our future. It sets down the Society’s
broad objects and powers, underpinning all our roles but especially those
of professional development and leadership. It should not — and
does not — provide a detailed picture of everything that the Society
is and does. It needs to be a document that enables the Society to fulfil
its roles and that is flexible enough to meet the needs of the future
as well as those of today.
Last week, we discussed the revised draft with the branch and regional
secretaries at their annual meeting at the Society’s headquarters.
Several points were raised and we were able to provide clarification
and, I hope, reassurance. The major concerns expressed about the earlier
draft at the branch representatives’ meeting in May did not appear
to be an issue at last week’s meeting. This is a welcome sign that,
having listened to the membership throughout almost six months’ consultation,
we have made improvements to the draft that satisfy the members. And,
indeed, the revised draft is a great improvement on the earlier draft
specifically because of the valuable feedback we received. I thank you
for that.
The motion passed by the Welsh
Executive (p595) is a welcome development. The need to reflect devolution
properly was a consistent theme in the
responses to the consultation. The Society is committed to developing
its ability to respond to the devolved delivery of health care. So I
am delighted that the Welsh Executive, having had concerns, now feels
that our revised draft Charter will fully meet the needs of the future.
In addition, I have heard that there have been favourable comments made
in branch meetings where the revised draft has been discussed.
These early signs of support for the revised draft Charter are positive.
But we cannot afford to be complacent. If you feel that the revised draft
Charter is still deficient, we want to know about it. Please use the
feedback form provided with last week’s issue of The Pharmaceutical
Journal or write a letter or send an e-mail. I think we now have an excellent
revised draft Charter. And it is with your help that we have achieved
this. If it can be made even better, let us know how.
|
